Page 240 - Leadership in the Indian Army

Medical Corps. Both had grown-up daughters and their wives were good
friends. Prem’s first attempt at getting to know Mohini Bhandari—
considered the most beautiful girl in Poona—ended in a fiasco. He then

sought a proper introduction through S.N. ‘Bimbo’ Bhatia from Signals.
Bimbo, who was a close friend of Prem’s, was related to the Bhandaris.
After this, Prem was tolerated but still not welcomed in the Bhandari
household. Colonel M.G. Bhandari was a protective father and he did not
take kindly to Prem’s boisterous nature and scant regard for ettiquette and
formality. Stories about his exploits in Mussoorie were well known and his
wild ways in Poona did little to enhance his reputation. Mohini was then

only 16 years old, and studying English at Wadia College.
As all his friends and colleagues recall, Prem was a warm and generous
person. He was kind not only to those he knew, but even to total strangers.
Once, while filling up his car at the petrol pump near Koregaon Park, he
saw that the attendant, a Pathan, was shivering with cold. Prem was wearing
his sports kit and a white pullover. Without a moment’s hesitation he took

off the pullover and offered it to the surprised Pathan, who remonstrated
with him, saying that Prem would catch a cold. But Prem would have none
of it. He told the Pathan that he was in a car and was in any case going to
his room in the mess, which was quite warm. He then drove off. No one had
witnessed the incident, nor did Prem ever talk about it. Many years later,
when a Sapper officer stopped at the petrol pump and asked the attendant
how he had come by the pullover—it had the regimental colours—the

Pathan proudly told him that it had been given to him by ‘Bhagat Sahib’.
The pullover was faded and in tatters, but the Pathan seemed to glow with
pride as he recounted the story.
Prem’s kindness was not confined to people. An interesting anecdote
about Prem and his pet dog was related by Mrs Bhandari and reproduced in
the Commemorative Issue of the Bombay Sappers Newsletter dated 23 May

1976. After losing consistently at the races for several weeks, Prem decided
to take a break. It was Sunday, and he was sitting on the mess lawns
drinking beer when a mongrel crept in through the hedge and stood near
him, whining with fear. It was an ugly creature, dirty and unwashed, with a
wound on its hind leg. Soon afterwards, there was a crunch of boots on the
gravel and the dog slunk under his chair. A corporal entered, saluted, and
after informing him that he was from the dog-killing squad, enquired if he

had seen the nasty looking dog which had just entered.